An eye doctor has shared a graphic warning over the dangers of sleeping while wearing contact lenses.

Ophthalmologist Dr Patrick Vollmer posted the images of a woman's eyes filled with white puss after it was infected.

The US-based specialist said the woman frequently slept in her contact lenses and is likely to suffer damage to her eyesight after she is treated.

In a Facebook post, Dr Vollmer said the woman admitted that she frequently left her lenses in overnight when she slept.

He explained that the woman is suffering from a 'pseudomonas ulcer' directly caused by sleeping while wearing contact lenses.

Dr Vollmar added: 'The bacteria explosively eats away at the patients cornea in a matter of days leaving a soupy, white necrosis (dead tissue) in its wake.'

The patient was given antibiotics and steroids to reduce scarring. The specialist said that while her eye is improving it is likely that she will suffer some loss of vision.

"To be very clear, I don’t ever recommend sleeping in any brand of SOFT contact lenses. The risks outweigh the benefits every time. It takes seconds to remove your contacts but a potential lifetime of irreversible damage if you choose to leave them in.

"People need to see these images and remind themselves/family/friends to also be aware of contact lens misuse."

The Facebook post by the Vita Eye Clinic in Shelby, North Carolina, has been shared 300,000 times since it was posted last week.